Bicycle



(No Model.) a SheetS- Sheef 1 H. LA GASSE.

BICYCLE.

No. 518,411. Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

(No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. LA GASSE. BICYCLE;

'8 SheetsSheet' 3'.

H. LA OASSE.

(No Model.)

BICYCLE.

Patented Apr. 17, 1894.

ATTORNEYflT (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

v H. LA GASSE.

BICYCLE.

I Patnted Apr. 17, 1894.

8 Sheets-Sheet 6.

(No Model.)

H. LA 'AOASSE.

BICYCLE.

No. 518,411; Patented Apr. 17,1894.

R 0 I N E V N 8 SheetsSheet 7. H. LA OASSE.

v BICYCLE.

(No Model.)

Y E N (N9 Model?) a Sheets-Sheet s. H. LA OASSE.

- BICYCLE.

No. 518,411. Patented Apr. 17,1894.

" ITE STATES PATENT v accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and r Toall whom it maycon'bern; p

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. ,H NRi'LA oAssno RocHns'rEa Ew roan BICYCLE.

' SPECiFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent 1%. 518,411, dated April1*), 1894.. Application filed "September-16,1891. Renewed November5,1862. sexism, 451,023. (No model.)

Be it known that I, HENRY LA CASSE, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe,'i1i the State ofNew York, haveinvented new and usefulImprovements in- Bicycles, of which the following, taken in connectionwith the exact description. p I

My'invention-relates to improvements in bicycles, and has for its objectthe produc tion of a. simple and efiective device, which iseconomicallyproduced, and is extremely easyin use, obviating thecustomary jar ex- 1 perienced when passing over rough surfaces; and tothis end it consists; essentially, in 'a frame having front'and rear.wheels, atront fork, a link between the lower end of the fork and thefront axle, amovable support for the pedal shaft hinged to' the frame,and a seat supporting framecarried by the pedal shaft support wherebyboth the seat and'the pedal move with the same vibration. o p

The invention also consists in the detail construction and arrangementof the parts of my bicycle, all as *here'inaftermore fully described andpointed out in the claims.-

In describing this inventiomreferenceis had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specificatiomin which, like letv .tersindicate corresponding parts in-all the views.

. Figure lrepresents aside elevation of my improvedbicycleillustrating'the general .con-. struction and arrangement of its parts.Fig. 2. is an enlarged elevation, partly in section, of the detachedframe, portions thereof being broken'away for the purpose of increas-j'ing the scale. Fig. 3 isa longitudinal v'ertical sectional'view of the.steering-rod and a.

portion of the front fork. Figs. 4' and 5 aredetail views illustratingthe construction of-' the handle bar sections and the armor levervsecured thereto for operating the brake. Fig. 6 is anisometricperspective of the detached plate secured to the front'fork forsupporting one of the lovers of the brake actuating mechanism and theforward end of the front, mud guard. Fig. v7 is an inverted plan view ofthe front bracket in which the steering rod is journaled. Fig. 8 is atransverse sectional View, taken on line -8 -8- Fig. 1. Fig. 9'

iis an elevation of the detached lower endof the front fork and thelinkfor connecting the same to the front axle. ,Fig.1f0 is anelevation ofthe inner faceof the detached link, L shown atFig. 9. Figs. 11. and 12are-e1eva tions of the detached brake shoe, its support, and a portionof its actuating mechanism,

' the shoe being'shown in its inoperative position at Fig. '11, and asin its operative position at Fig. 12.: Fig. 13 isa horizontal seetional,view, taken on line "1-3'-13-, Fig. 2.

Figs-14,15 and 16 are isometric perspectives of the detached parts ofthe. knuckle between theimovablepedal shafttand the frame, and ;th;esuppor t for. said knuckle. Fig. 17' is a sectional view, taken on line1'7 '17 Fig. 1, representing the'relative construction and arrangementof the' "parts mounted on the pedal slfaft. Fig; 18 is a transversesectional view, taken on line l8 -18-, Fig."1,illustratingt-he clipforadjusting the tension of the springs for supporting the ipedalshaft.

Figs. 19and 20 arerespectively front eleva- Ztion and top'plan view ofthe bracket for sup-V "portingthe for'wardendof the rear mud guard, ,-aportion of "the. frame barsib'eing shown as inoperative position at Fig.20. Figs. 21iand 22 are respectivelytop' plan andrsid'e elevation of adetached, portion of the frame'bars and the rearsupport for the rearjmudguard.

Fig. 23 is a horizontal sectional view cfth'e. rear axle. Fig. 24 is atransverse sectional view,'taken on line 24=24-.i;-Fig. 1. Fig] 25 is atransverse Sectiorialview, taken on line '25--25-, Fig,1,-illustratingthe clip. for supporting the -l --...shapedv seatsupporting the bracket, and Fig. 26' is a trans-L verse sectional view,taken on line -262 6--, Fig.'.l.

-" Bicycles-,rwhich are now coming into some;

what general use, are preventedffrom more by the rider in passingoverrough roads and obstructions. Ehis jar is either transmitted bar or;directly to. his feet and body by the vib ration of the pedal shaft.Moreover the extended use by reason ofthejar' experienced,

- to the riders hands engaged withthe handle ri-der isu suallyseated-onayield ng seat hat/1;

ing moreo'r less movement, and,,as his feet Io o iare'monnted bn thepedals secured to a rig'- idly moufrited pedal.shaft,-great ditficultyis minimum the transmission of jar to the riders body and feet, andcauses said parts to move uniformly and simultaneously. 7

A-- represents the frame of my bicycle composed preferably of a pair ofsimilarly arranged bars or tubes ahaving their" front extremities bentupwardly at a' and approximated a greater distance than the rearextremities -'"a The front bracket -'-B' is adapted to support thesteering rod C, and is formed with a rearwardly extending arm b. havingsockets b"in which the front endsof the frame bars a-aare suitablysecured as by brazing. The outer sleeve D- for the lower end of thesteer-- ing rod ---C is adapted to receive at its lower end the upwardlyprojecting nipple-erigidly secured to the front fork -E-. This sleeveD-- is formed with a bearing face -dbetween which and a likebearing face7 ZJ2- on the front bracket B- are interposed anti friction balls -D-for reducing .to a minimum the friction efiected when turning thesteering red -O. The upper end of the outer sleeve -D- is also formedwith a roller bearing d' between which and a corresponding bearing b on'the upper end of the bracket. 'B areinterposed anti'friction balls --Dand the said upper extremity is further supported by a nut --D screwingupon the sleeve -D- and formed with a depending flange D adapted to capover the upper end of the bracket B--. The extreme upper end ofthe'sleeve -D' is slightly tapered andis slotted at 'd?- and screwingthereuponis a n nt--d which is formed with a slightly tapering innerper'riphery and clamps the separate sections of said extreme'upper endofthe sleeve -D-. against the. periphery of the steering ro'd -C-inserted: within said sleeve.

At the extreme upper end of the steering rod -(J- is a cap formed withupturn ed ears --fthrough which is passed the handle bar F' consistingof separate sections having their adjacent extremitiesprovidedwith'oppositely turned threads and engaged with a socket -f'- in thelever presently described, in connection with the brakemechanism; saidoppositely threaded. ends being held in position bya pin F passed through an aperture in said lever, and a corresponding aperture in the,handle bar formed by a groove in the adjacent facesof its separatesections. The opposite arms -'-e' of the fork E- are arranged onopposite sides of the front wheel'-G.

with a central aperture =g in which are I rigidly secured the oppositemetallic sections g --g having their outer ends formed flaring andprovided with ball bearing seats ablyless diameter than the sections --gand is supported in position by means of anti friction. ballsh-r-interposed between the bearings g and corresponding bearings h--secured. to the axle l-I, or, as illustrated, to the inner face of thehuh I'- formed on thelinks -I- for yieldingly supporting the lower endsof the fork arms e'- upon said front axle; The upper ends of the'links-I- are formed on their inner face with a recess -ihaving inner andouter flanges t"- and -t*- in which is mounted a spring-1 having one endt' secured to the link, and the other ito the lower end of the fork armse'-. arms are formed with a hub -e*-- movable in The front axle H is ofconsider- These lower ends of the fork a slot -I in the outer flange 'iand .with a hollow boss e journaled withinthe innerflange --'i' of ,thelink .I- and secured in position bya suitable clamp as a nut and bolt--I. The huh I of .the links -I, which, as previously stated, is formedwith the ball bearing face h, is rigidly secured to the axle .-l-I beingpreferably screwed thereon and held in position by a locking nut--H',the end of the shaft -H being formed with a slot H for enabling the sameto be firmly held wb 11 the nut-H'- is screwed in position.

In the use of my bicycle the spring -1 constantly forces the front faceof the fork arms -e'-against the front wall or shoulder i of the slot ias best seen at Fig. 2, and, as the wheel encounters an obstruction, theaxle moves upwardly against the action of the spring until the rear faceof the fork encounters the rear wall or shoulder t'" of the slot, whichcan only happen when the wheelie excessivelyjarred so .as to entirelyovercomethe force of the spring '-z.- The fork and its flexibleconnection reduce to a minimum the amount of jar ordinarily transmittedto the handle bar and renderthe riding of the bicycle much morepleasurable and healthful than when the same is c0ntinually jarred bypassage over obstacles.

fro5

J-- represents any suitable construction of front. mud guard,.which maybe su'itably supported, as by means of a suitable brace J'-- anddownwardly projecting ears jupon a support j" for one of the brake'actua'ting levers, presently described.

-K is. the pedal shaft, which is yieldingly mounted on a knuckle-L andalink -M", and is held in positionby an upper spring R-- and a lowerspring S-.

, 3 i friction balls Z Q held in position by shoularms Z andtheirrearward ends capping 6o 7 rests upon a movable fadj n'ster o'rfclampO"'-'-,

As best seen at Figs; 1,, 2, 1 1,12,14,15, and 16, the'knuckle .L-consists of a pair of levers --L"'-- and L having their adja;

cent extremities formed with eyes Z-l'-' hinged togetherby a pin +1 thefree end of the lever L.' being formed with eyes '--Z and hingedto'corresponding eyes -l* on a bracket L secured to; the frame +-A, andthe free-end of" the lever L shaft -K.

being'formed with eyes Z hinged to corresponding eyes "Z on the forwardarm -F of alever -L journaled on the pedal The bracket 'L is formed atits upper face with suitable eyes Z for receiving the opposite framebars'a-a-, and is preferably brazed thereto. The lever -L when in itsnormal position extends upwardly and forwardly from the lower arm --F-of the leverL and the'lever -L' extends rearwardly from the forwardendof said lever -L as best seen at Figs. 1, and

2, thus requiring the smallest possible space for said knuckle, andcausing the same to be extremely firm, although capable of instantlyyielding to preventtransmission of jar to the The rider as more clearlyshown hereinafter.

lever L is ,formed' with a box or hub L through which passes thepedal'shaft -K, and at its, free ends is formed, with ders -'-Z' isrigidly held in positionby a,

bearing faces Z against which bear anti ders -Z andZ Oneof the shoulderssuitable key Z and on its, outer face is rigidly secured the frontsprocket wheel N, and on the outer'face of'thesprocket wheel the hubofthe pedal crank n'. T The other shoulder j-L is formed with screwthreads, and is adj ustable' upon the axle -K- for taking-up all wearandfirmly drawingthe parts against the friction balls -Z -,On the outerface of this adjustable nut is the opposite pedaLcrank -n'- having itshub rigidly secured to the" axle bya suitable -Rigidly secured in anysuitable manner to the rearwardly extending arm Z of the lever --L isthe link -M consisting preferably of two parallel .tubes nt -122+having-their forward ends capping over said over nipples on a support--m' hinged at Extending upwardly from: the h'ingepoint' of the levers Land ,L is an arm --O- having a'projecting shoulder -0;

'adaptednto be engagedby the rearend of the spring "R-; foryieldinglylsnpp'orting the" front. bracket -B' previously described.

The lower spring -S.is arrangeds-with' its rear end beneath the hingepoint of jsaid' levers L and IP--., and its upper end also bears uponthe clamp *'O and is rigidly of the bracket, B-'. moved lengthwisely ofthe frame bar a foradjusting the springs R and S, and-as best seen atFig. -18-, consists of an upper plate o having a bearing o fortheupperspring 7 5 R,, a lower plate ,0 having a bearing" face --0 "for thelower spring -S ,curve d' l bearing faces 0"- on the inner faces of -theI opposite'extremities of said platesforenga'gw ing the upper end of"the frame bars .-a-a, 8o and a 'suitable clamping screw, 0.,- fordrawing said plates together and clamping the support.O.' in position.It will read ily be apparent from the foregoing that, when thewheels'strike an obstruction and'raise"8 5. theframe, the pedal shaftremains in subtion of the springs -B; and S, and the. go 7 link M swingson its pivot m T-- represents any suitable construction of seat; -'-t apin or other suitable support upon which said seat is secured byasuitable' I clamp -T'-; -,t a'clamp for securing the s 5 pin -t tospring bars 'u "presently described, andU the seat supporting frame Y ofmy improved bicycle, This frame-U- consists of a pair of front tubes .uu

brazed to a pair of projecting nipples';, O "1 0 on the arm O', a pairof rear tubes.,-u/+ L brazed to a corresponding pair of nipples ,w.-upon the support W secured to therear axle; and a pair of springconnecting bars u g/, The forwardends of the x05 bars u?u are hinged atu to the front fraine bars .u u., and are formed at their rearextremitywith the coils u, -'and with the projecting ends aadj ustablymounted within'the hollow rear bars 'u,-- no u' andsecured in positionby screws --u v carried by a cap u rigidly secured on the I is formedcomparativelystifi in order to add I15 to the rigidity of the frame,its-forwardend I being secured to a bracket 522 rigidly secured to theframe bars -a-i'dand its rearward end to the cap su --I upon the spring]is alsotforme'd witlia woodenh'ub -w"- ha w Q ing a centralcavityf w -inwhich are"rig idly secured, sleeves or Linings w having rear axle W-composed preferably of two 7 sections firmly secured together, onebeingformed with a screw threaded nipple -,-W --rand gshe otherwithasjcrew'threaded socket- I 30 ."W

p The extremities'of the-axle extend i beyond the hub '''w'-'--, and areformed-with eyes .-W} inwhich are ad-j ustaibly monnted,by meansof'clamping nuts w the --M for the treadle axle, and the rear seatsupporting frame bars -uu-. The rear.

sprocket wheel --X is rigidly secured to the adjacent sleeve w' and isengaged by a nut X' formed with an inwardly extending hub .r having abearing face a" for the adjacent anti friction balls 'w and is alsoformed with a flange X on the outside of the hub w'. Upon the oppositesection of the axle is adj ustably mounted a shoulder Y having a bearingface yfor the anti friction balls w-- and formed with a series ofapertures y-- with which is engaged at suitable stop Y' for preventingthe retraction of said shoulder.

It will be readily noted that, by means of the. nuts -w the supports -Wmay be readily adjusted for taking up all slack in the sprocket chain XIn order to facilitate mounting of the bicycle one extremity of therearaxle is extended outwardly and formed with a foot engaging portion W. VI

The brake mechanism P- consists of a suitable shoe P' jo'urnaled onj thehub L- of the pedal supporting lever -L and suitable connections betweenthe upper extremity of said shoe and the lever 'f secured to the handlebar -F---. As preferably constructed these connections consist V of alever ;p',- pivoted at Pp to a support '-p upon the frame -A, and coni 1nected by a link -p passed through the arm f 0- to the brake shoe.P- a Ilever pivoted to a lug -p'*- on the rear arm of the front bracket -B-,and connected: to the lever p' by a link ---.p"

passed through the spring S- ahd a third lever --p pivoted to thesupport -;7"- previously described, and connected by a horizontallyjointed link -p to the lever ;-p and by a link p to the end of the,lever tween said arms -p and a shoulder ,-p

on the link -p constantly forces said link p 9-- downwardly and throwsthe shoe out of engagement with the rear wheel -W-.

7 When desired to utilize the brake the rider bears downwardly in anatural movement of stronglyigr'ipping the handle bar when danger isapparent, and the connections between the brake shoe and the leversecured to said handlebar force the brake shoe firmly against the rearwheel against the act-ion of thespring ---P. This forms a particularlysimple and eflfective style of brake, and is an essential feature of myinvention.

The'operation of my invention will be readilyper'ceived from theforegoing description and upon reference tothe parts. It will beparticularly noted that the handle bar is almost entirely preventedfrom'jar, and that, when the frame-is jarred, this motion is not transmittedto the rider, as both his feet and his body are supported yieldinglyupon the frame by means of the yielding support for the treadle shaftand the seat supporting frame, which is carried upon the support for thetreadle shaft. J

It will be understood that the detail construction and arrangement ofthe parts of my invention may be somewhat varied from those shown anddescribed without departing from the spirit thereof, hence I donotherein limit myself to such detail construction and arrangement.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a fork, a wheel having an axle, a'link having oneextremity secured to the axle and having a recess in itsoppositeextremity provided with a slot in 1ts side wall for receivingthe adjacent end of the fork, and a spring mounted in said recess in thelink between the inner wall of the tocess and the adjacent face of thefork and having one end connected to the link and the other to the fork,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a frame and a steering rod, a cap at the extremityof said rod provided with a pair of cars, a-lever interposed betweensaid earsand formed with a threaded socket, a handle bar composed ofseparable extremities having their adjacent ends screw threaded andpassed through said socket, and a lock for preventing turning of saidhandle bar extremities, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

I 3. The combination of a frame, a steering rod provided at its upperend with a projecting shoulder fixed thereto and with upwardlyprojecting ears, a handle bar journaled in said ears for operating thesteering rod, a brakeshoe hinged to the frame, a lever 10 pivoted tosaidframe, a jointed connection p hinged to the lever 19 and connected,substantially as described, to the brake-shoe, a lever f having one endrigidly secured to the handle bar and the'other projecting outwardlybeyond the steering rod, a link having one end pivoted to the lever oand the other to the projecting end of the lever f 2 and provided with aspring engagingshoulder, and a spring interposed between the projectingshoulder on the steering rod and. the spring engaging shoulder on saidlink, substantially as and 'for the purpose specified.

pivoted to each other and also to the pedal' -a'knuekle -Kin'terposed'between the pedal shaft and the frame and comprising leverspivoted to' each. other and also to the pedal shaft andto'the'fram 'aspring for supports 1ng said knuckle in its normal position, a link Itially as described.

having one end hinged to the pedal shaftand the other to the rearportion of theiframe, and

a seat connected to said knuckle, substan- 7. The combination of aframe, a seat, a-seat support, a, knuckle jo'intbetw'een the frameandthe seat supprt,a spring'secured to said frameand to said seatsupport, and anv ad-.

ju'ster for adjusting the tensionof-the spring, substantially as andforthe purpose specified. 8. The combination ofa'frame, alever L having itsrear end hinged to the frame, alever. L -arranged beneath the lever Land having its front end hinged tothe corresponding I endof the leverLi, a' pedalsliaft, a lever L having the pedal shaft journaled thereinand" having its front end hinged to the rear end of the lever L avspringconnected, substantially'as descnibedto said levers for support- 7ngthe same 1n operative positiomanda seat :conn'ectd'to said levers,substantially as specified. v, =9... The combination of a frame, a leverL having its rear end hinged to the frame, a le- Q ver L arrangedbeneath the lever L and having its front end hinged to the correspondingend of the lever L, a pedal shaft, a lever L having the pedal "shaft "3'ourn'aled therein and having its front end hinged to the rear end .ofthe lever L a seat, a seat support having its lower end hinged to thepivotal pin of the levers L L ,,and a spring connected,substantiall'y'as described, to said levers for supporting the same,substantially as descr1bed.

" 12. The combination of a frame, a pedal shaft, a pair of hinged levershaving their cor.-

responding extremities hinged together and the opposite end of one leverhinged to the frame-and the opposite end of the other lever to saidpedal shaft, an upwardly pro ecting arm secured to .the hinge pin of oneof said levers and formed with an engaging shoulder,

and a spring having one end secured to said frame and the other engagedwith said engaging shoulder, substantially as specified.

13. The combinationof a frame, a shaft, a knuckle K interposed betweenthe pedal shaft and the frame and comprising levers pivoted to eachother and also to the pedal shaft and to the frame, a brake-shoejournaled on one ofthe levers, a handle bar connected to the-brake-shoe,.a spring for supporting said knuckle in its normalposition, and aseat supported-on said knuckle, substantially asand forthe purpose set forth. y 14. The combination of a frame, a leverL havingits rear end hinged to the frame, alever L? arranged beneath the lever Land having its front end hinged to the corresponding end of the lever L,a pedal shaft, a lever L having the pedal shaft journaled thereln andhaving its front end hinged to the rear end of the lever L a brake-shoejournaled on the lever L a handle bar connectedto the brakeshoe, aspring connected, substantially as described, to said levers forsupporting the same 5o hinged levers having their corresponding ex-,

1': end of one lever hinge'd to thel'ranre, a seat,

"40' having the pedal shaft'journaled therein and I having its front endhinged to the rear. end

f of thelever L a spring connected, substan- I tially as described, tosaidlevers for supporting the same in."operative position,,a seat45',connected.to saidlevei's, and a link M having it's-rear end hingedto the fraine'andits front end rigidly secured to'therear endofithe-lever'L substantially as set forth.

10. The com-bi ation of a frame,

in operative position, and a seat connected to said levers,substantiallyas andfor the .purpose described. v

15. The combination of a frame, arear wheel having anaxle, a projectingarm ad ustably secured to said axle,.a link having one end hinged totheforward end of the arm, a pedal shaft journaled'in the front end of thelink, a knuckle joint between the pedal shaft and theframe, and a springfor supporting the pedal shaft, substantially as and for the purposespecified. r

In testimony whereof I e have hereunto signed my name, in'the presenceof two attesting witnesses, at Rochester, in the county of '55 'leversinto operative-position, substantially- Monroe, in the State of NewYork, this 12th .:i-i s p ifi ed a= -.f' -f 1. day of August, 1891. a 1e com ,ln'ation o 'a' rame,a ever t I h v g itsrear'end hinged to theframe, a le H NRY LA CAeSE .1 ever 1'1 arrangedbeneath'thelever L andhav-' 6ov ingiits front end' hinged to the'corresponding I -'end'of thelever L', a pedalshaft'alever-L' a pair of I I tremitiesfhingedtog'etherand the opposite aseat support hinged tothe opposite end of i the otherlever,"and a spring for holding said I I5 Witnesses: 5 HAMPDEN HYPE,

' GEO. H, HUMPHREY.

